Manufacturers put plenty of attention into maintaining equipment on the plant floor, but aging IT infrastructure can create production headaches of its own.

A new article from Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) member Affiliated Resource Group looks at how outdated networks, weak wireless coverage and single points of failure can slow production, delay data and force employees into workarounds that cost time.

The piece also offers a practical starting point for manufacturers looking to get ahead of problems, including documenting existing network infrastructure, identifying critical failure points and putting IT equipment on a regular lifecycle schedule.

“This is a useful reminder that IT decisions are increasingly operations decisions, especially as more production systems depend on reliable connectivity,” said Dave O’Neil, director of communications for the OMA. 9/21/2026